


Hope Of Tomorrow

by Travis_Crux



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - 19th Century, Alternate Universe - Demons, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Demon Deals, Eventual Fluff, Gay, London, Love, M/M, Master/Servant, Rape/Non-con Elements, Revenge, Scotland Yard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2019-03-28 15:39:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13907115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Travis_Crux/pseuds/Travis_Crux
Summary: AU Black Butler19th Century London:The fire from that night still haunted Louis' dreams as he slept, that one night had ripped everything from him, his parents, his siblings, his status. Kidnapped by a ritualistic cult and humiliated in a every measure possible, young Louis Tomlinson, son of former aristocrat Earl Marcus Tomlinson, a mere twelve year old, calls upon a demon in midst of agony and forms a contract with the being who under the seal of the contract serves as his loyal and exceptionally talented butler Harold or Harry Styles.The duo venture out on a journey of deceit, murder and revenge.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Louis was twelve when abducted and thirteen when he met Harry.
> 
> Present day Louis is seventeen.

The gentle breeze which seeped through the wooden paned windows, rustled the white sheets of paper stacked against one another casually on the rich ebony table which was placed in the sober painted room.

As they papers struggled under the weight of one another, a pale skinned hand lifted the weight and took off their pain, as he neatly organized them to examine.  
His ice blue eyes remained unfazed at the volumes of paperwork on his table and diligently continued to inspect them, like it was every other day's business which it certainly was. Paperwork was an integral part of the company he owned and without it, there would be cumbersome problems which he would need to attend if he wouldn't do the simple errand of scrutinizing them.

It was not ardous but neither was it very exciting, the best adjective to describe it would be monotonous which it was. Monotony wasn't a pleasure the young Lord could afford when he usually treaded on the thin string between life and death, it was welcomed.

Owning a money minting toy company in London was one part of his life while playing the guard dog of the Queen of England was another. The shadow of the Royal family, the dog who does the dirty work side so that the Queen needn't dirty her gloves. That's what he was.

The burden of the title had been passed down since centuries in his family and every Tomlinson heir had willingly taken that burden as a mark of pride but unlike every other Tomlinson, the youngest of them all had not taken it willingly, in fact it had been an unfortunate turn of circumstances which thrusted the weight of his position at the tender age of thirteen after a tragedy which perhaps with an exception of him nobody remembered. Maybe one person did. And that person knocked the door.

The knock on the door accompanied a requestion,"May I come in, young master?"

The hues of blue stayed focussed on his paperwork, as he called,Yes, you may."

The knob twisted in knowing and a trolley slowly was brought into Earl's vision with gloved hands pushing it gently. His butler rhythmically walked in behind the trolley and strolled to the Earl's side clearing the paperwork before him, serving him tea and his snacks in impeccable perfection which rivalled a normal human being's. But then again, this man wasn't a human so it didn't realistically apply to him.

Harold or as everyone else with the exception of Earl Louis Tomlinson called him, Harry. Harry Styles. The butler of the Tomlinson household and the sole bearer of Louis Tomlinson's soul.

It was a day similar to the colour of the lovely grey, he so ardently adorned when he met Harold. Grey. The unquestionable balance between two sides of the spectrum. The perfect cross section. It had been an elaborate spell of time since he had even felt grey and there finally came a time that he didn't even recognize grey.

Louis didn't even recall how the entire event occurred, all he remembered was being asleep in his bedroom when the entire manor was flaring with flames.

He quickly got down from his bed and ran outside to be welcomed by soaring red fire in the hallway which was dragging down the curtains and transforming them into a pile of ash over the incinerating carpet.

Louis ran, calling out ardently for his parents unless he passed out in the middle of it all and awoke in a cage.

* * *

_"Look at this one," a voice poked him while his eyes fluttered open to introduce him to his surroundings. The rusty cold metal touched his skin harshly while the pungent smell of urine alarmed his nose, as he rose._

_"A beauty." another masculine voice acknowledged as they went on prodding about his features and opened the gate to the cage to pick him up._

_Luring him through the incentive of decent clothes and food and returning him to his parents, Louis' captors had kept him with them for a vast amount of time, treating him with sincerity and generosity until the true horror actually commenced._

_A few months later he had been taken back into the cage and noticed there were other children in different cages too when he was suddenly chosen to go inside with another girl in a vaguely quiet place which smelt like dust._

_What followed was the most unnerving memory Louis ever had the fortune of living through. It was a state if absolute horror when a defenseless twelve year old child was bathed in blood and a whitish liquid which came out from the men's genitals who were touching him everywhere, ripping his clothes to shreds and forcefully turning him for his arse to take their violation while his mouth was forced open to pleasure their genitals._

_It was a pool of blood but what Louis drowned in was humiliation._

_Throwing him back into the cage, they called for the girl and placed her on the table while they pierced the knife through her flesh thereby ending her misery at least in the mortal world._

_As his eyes widened, tears spilt profusely on his cheeks when he witnessed the sacrifice occurring and then declared to himself, "There is no God! There is no being who would help me. Everything is a farce! There is nobody!" He screamed._

_Then a sudden darkness enveloped the surroundings and it pushed off men questioning, "Who has summoned me with such blasphemy!?" And the dark shadows jumped from one man to another, pursuing the person who invoked his presence when his shadow landed on Louis and the being came before him._

_Placinghis heeled boots which clicked against the floor, darkness quickly spread around them like smoke and with only his feet visible, he stood before Louis,"Tell me, what do you desire, Master?" He questioned. "I can form a contract with you and you can order me for anything. All the riches below your feet, vanquish any number of enemies. All in just one contract"_

_"I did not call for you." Louis denied moving away from the being before him._

_"Oh but you did, Master. You did." He said seeping his touches around him while he moved in ungodly speed. "You refused God and the mortal world, your hatred was power enough."_

_"In exchange for your soul, I shall give you anything. Anything." The being repeated as his bright green eyes glimmered in the dark._

_Louis stood there dumbfounded, as a number of emotions rushed through him, a demon stood before him and there was nothing in the world which was worth living for. His manor had been incinerated, his parents and sisters were dead, his dignity had been violated and humiliation is the only apparent emotion, he associated himself with._

_Looking into the uncharacteristically green eyes, he nodded his head, "I want power. I want power to vanquish the people who have subjected me to this. I want to kill them. I want POWER!"_

_The smirk of the being could be heard to his ears, as the pleasure of consent glorified his stature which was still undetermined._

_The light of mercy shall never fall upon you, you have forsaken the doors of heaven and every chance at redemption by contracting your soul to me. Do you agree?!" The being questioned._

_"Yes, I do."_

_Standing at the intersection of the spectrum on grey, through his life, that very day Louis had opened his arm and chosen black._

* * *

Lady Eleanor will be arriving soon for the party she has organized this evening, Your Highness." Harry reminded him while placing the cheesecake before him.

"I recall the tragedy, Harold." He replied distastefully.

"Of course, Your Highness," Harry nodded and then informed him,"which is why you have a dance lesson after lunch today."

A groan quickly escaped his lips,"I hate dancing!"

"I am well aware, young master but the fact remains that the party is going to occur in the evening for which you cannot afford to look like a babbling baboon," he told him with a smile on his face, as his curls loosely stuck to his side,"and besides it is an absolutely necessary talent for a man of your position and consequence."

Louis rolled his eyes at the statement. "I don't even recall giving Eleanor permission to use the manor. It is my house." He reasoned taking a sip of the Darjeeling tea which Harry had served.

"Which is also your to be wife's, who is indeed Miss Calder unless she has been impersonated by someone else which I assure you, she isn't." He retorted politely yet with an undertone of sarcasm.

Glaring at his butler,"Hmph. I hope you find the one's who've killed my parents before that thing presents itself as a problem." Louis replied, clearly referring to Eleanor as the thing.

He then steered his gaze towards Harry who stood beside him casting his pristine persona in the room. "How is the Irish man doing?" He verified.

Louis' aunt, Madam Red which stood short for Angelina Duress-Burnett had been visibly impressed by Harry's perfection as a butler which was why she thought it appropriate for Harry to train her newly recruited butler.

"He is decent, nothing exceptional."

"I had mentioned to her that it was a waste of time to even suggest that he would become anything like you, just because you would train him." He sighed dramatically. "Well, it is what it is. Train him to at least be capable of being a decent butler."

"Of course, Your Highness."

***

Dissatisfaction took it's place in Louis' chest when the alloted time of the said party arrived. Surely Eleanor was as missy as the other girls her age which was why she implored to have a party of no specific reasoning only with the two of them. Unreasonable. That's what she was in Louis' perspective at the most.

And from the unfortunate moment, he was her fiance, he continued being dragged into this parade of nonsense, she called fun which was why, he was being dressed in a moss green outfit which would apparently in her opinion complement her pink and the decoration in the house.

Harry stepped aside to let the Earl examine his presentation, as soon as he tightened his bow. The Earl nodded and turned to his butler,"My ring?"

Harry removed the ring from its velvet box, giving it to Louis, the mark of the heir of the Tomlinson Household. The mark of power. The mark of misfortune. The mark of authority. Passed through generations of misery, the ring stayed even if its owner died which was why it carried more misfortune than estimated.

"I still do not find the point behind this meaningless charade." Louis grumbled once again and moved out of the room with his butler following behind.

As Louis descended to the foyer, his eyes observed the entirety of his elaborate foyer had been been decorated with pink streamers and flowers. Pink. Which cringed the young Earl's nose bridge with his eyebrows furrowing in odium.

"Smile, Your Highness. You look like your attending your own funeral." Harry's remark traversed his ear, Louis stared at him with annoyance radiating through his eyes and as soon as they entered the ballroom which was also tragically decorated with nothing but pink.

She had even gone as far as to dress his servants, Baldroy, the cook, Finnian,the gardner and Mey-rin, the maid. Not that the three were of any use since Harry did all their work too.

Sighing, Louis made his presence known, as he graced the other servants and Eleanor with his presence who was in dark pink ruffled dress, her hair was elaborated into two ponytails which cascaded down to her neck in intricate waves.

"Louis!" She exclaimed and stifled him into a hug, which earned a twitch from his eyebrows.

"Yes, Eleanor, it's me." He responded sounding barely interested.

"I am so happy you came," she said with her eyes glittering, as she held his hand with his and her eyes slowly travelled to his thumb and a pout spread on his lip,"Louis, that ring doesn't suit your outfit!" She observed and pointed out. "I have brought you another ring and that look prettier." She added in a rather childish manner, as she removed the ring from his thumb, examining it closely.

"No, Eleanor," he said indifferently. "I cannot let you do that, the ring is important, can you please hand it back?" He asked reaching out for the ring.

"Is the ring more precious than I am!?"

"Eleanor, can I get the ring?"

"So the ring is more precious than I am, is it!" She whined petulantly. "It is a barrier between the two of us!" She declared immediately and threw the sapphire heirloom on the floor, smashing it into a million scintilliating pieces.

Louis' eyes widened at her actions and a deafening silence spread across the ballroom, as everyone's gaze remained stoic over Eleanor's actions.

Louis' hand rose almost immediately to hit her when another hand intertwined his lifted hand and held his waist, thereby preventing him to move forward.

"No, My Lord." Harry stopped, dismissing his actions immediately. "It is not befitting you."

Freeing himself from Harry's grasp, Louis stormed out of the ballroom.

Watching his master's retreating back, he averted his gaze and turned to his fiancee who was in tears.

"I apologize for the Young Master's misconduct, Lady Eleanor." He said sincerely, "The ring laying there is a heirloom passed down through generations in the Tomlinson family which signifies that the bearer of it, is the Head of the household which was the reason of his actions."

Eleanor looked guilty at the revelation. She had not meant to hurt Louis but had done exactly that and before she could completely breakdown, Louis walked back inside with an exceedingly calm stupor.

He picked up the pieces before him and surprisingly threw it out of the window which earned a gasp from nearly everyone in the room.

"I do not require a ring to validate my authority or my power." Louis declared looking at the audience.  
"I am the Head of the household and no power on earth can change that."

"May I have a dance, El?" He questioned raising his hand towards her which she so very happily took.

The conclusion of the dance and the hurried goodbye of Lady Eleanor put a stop to nearly ardous day, as Louis was seated on the top of his bed letting out a sigh.

"It was very noble of you to actually put up that facade for Miss Eleanor's convenience." Harry commented while buttoning up the young boy's night shirt. "But it seemed like you were having fun too."

"Are you stupid? Of course, I wasn't," he replied in an upsetting tone. He said with a brief sigh and paused while glancing wistfully at his unadorned thumb now. "That ring has been with this family forever. It has witnessed death of all me predecessors, it's a little unsettling to know it won't witness mine."

Harry knelt down before him and gently,"Master, I do know that which is probably why," Harry said holding his hand when Louis felt a cold metal slip onto his thumb,"take good care of it."

Louis' eyes furrowed at the perfectly new ring on his thumb, the same heirloom right before his eyes. "A Tomlinson butler should be capable of doing this at the least." He replied at the young Earl's dumbfounded words.

"Good Night, Your Highness." He said putting Louis to bed and then placing the warm quilt over him.

As Harry moved towards the door taking the candlebra with him,"Thank you Harry." A voice gently ran over him. Soft. But he heard it.

Harry. Not Harold. A grin reluctantly pulled his lips up.

His master never failed to surprise him.The butler often observed his master. What an irritably arrogant child. His perfect facade of indifference and arrogance mixed so beautifully, being a demon, Harry was surprised if something of this nature could even occur on anything, nevermind casually frail humans. The elegance he held himself with even after a fit of rage of that nature and the agony in his heart, everything masked by a simple cover up which he paraded with utmost decency. Humans were indeed an amusing set of species and his master provided for the innumerable sets of entertainment, he'd not received in his oh so immortal life.


	2. Chapter Two

"London is too crowded to keep my interest." Louis admitted as he stepped inside the townshouse with Harry closely following behind. 

"You can blame it on the social seasons, Your Highness, it is that time when the aristocracy migrates from their manors on the outskirts to their townhouses." He explained as he removed the dark coat and hat of Louis' and placed it on the stand. 

"I can agree on those grounds, I presume," Louis nodded and began climbing the solid wooden staircase of the elegant townhouse. 

"But I do think an alternate leverage of visiting London is to leave those three back in the Manor, at least, there will be some peace and quiet." Harry observed with a hint of relief on his face.

Louis looked at him with a smirk,"Peace and quiet is it?" He questioned in amusement to which Harry nodded, as he opened the living room to find it in a complete disarray. 

As sunlight flamed the room through the curtains, the ornate books from various bookshelves around the room had been piled on the sofa, the paintings which had been used to decorate the mundane cream walls were casually thrown on the mantelpiece. 

"Are you sure they have no tea under the carpet?" A feminine voice questioned. 

"I have looked nearly everywhere madam, I don't think there is any tea, anywhere," a masculine voice replied.

"What are the two of you doing here?" Louis' voice questioned, rubbing his temples in frustration. 

"Lou! You're finally here!" An overly excited voice reverberated in the room before the owner came to his line of sight. A brown haired man sprung up with his Aunt, Madame Red from the floor, curtained by a sofa. 

Louis' eyebrows rose together expecting an explanation, as to how did they even get in here, nevermind vandalizing his property in search of tea! But since he didn't get any, he just asked the boy before him, "Why exactly are you here Liam?"

"I was just visiting London and noticed that your townhouse door remained ajar, so I assumed you were inside but found your aunt searching for tea," He explained with a grin,"so I helped her."

"Impressive." Louis said absolutely unimpressed by his explanation to which Liam nudged his playfully,"Come on Lou, don't be upset."

"I'm not upset, I'm annoyed." He verified.

"But since you're in London," Madam Red noted and looked at him for affirmation,"it means the Queen's guard dog is on a mission."

Ignoring his aunt's question, he turned towards Harry, "Could please get us some snacks, Harold?" And added thoughtfully, "We'll be seated in my study while you clean this mess."

"Of course, Young Master. " He conceded and turned on his heel to move to the kitchen. 

"Harry, you don't need to, my butler and Madam Red's butler are preparing snacks." Liam interjected stopped him on his tracks. 

Louis looked at Liam in sudden interest,"You have a new butler?" 

"Yea," Liam shrugged casually," Dad fetched him on his trip to France.'

Louis nodded in comprehension and revised his statement to the butler,"The room, then," he countered and the butler immediately got into cleaning the room and before they were even seated in the study, Harry entered and took his place behind Louis. 

"How did you finish it so quick?!" Madam Red exclaimed, unable to interpret the inhumane speed and perfection but before Harry could answer, Liam answered,"I feel it's normal to do so Aunt Angelina."

Which definitely called for Louis' attention and Harry's scrutiny, it wasn't everyday when someone wasn't surprised by Harry and that turned Louis towards his friend who continued to talk, "Somehow most of the butlers nowadays are trained into perfection like they were born to do everything in this fashion." 

"Everyone. Except for Niall." Madam Red sighed in dissatisfaction. "He just cannot be anything except clumsy." 

"He isn't that bad, Aunt Angelina," Liam said leaning back on the sofa,"just needs a little bit of training."

"Oh, he did receive that," Madam Red informed incredulously, "he is half of what he is because of Harry."

Liam looked a bit appalled by the revelation," Okay, that's really bad." He agreed but before he could add onto his statement, Niall walked in with a man following him with a tiny trolley. 

* * *

In a pitch black tail coal with the crest of the Payne family pinned to his lapel, Zayn Malik was the epitome of beauty, dark hair almost the colour of his suite, velvety hazel eyes and an aura of elegance which Harry wore too. His butler definitely rivaled it equally but this man had a fine streak enchantment whereas his Harry radiated confidence. Analogous yet Heterogeneous. 

"This is my butler, Lou, Zayn," his friend introduced to which Louis nodded at him in acknowledgment, " Zayn, this is my friend, Earl Louis Tomlinson and his butler Harold Styles, but everyone calls him Harry."

"My humble regards to you sir," the butler greeted Louis and served the two of them mid-day snacks. 

As he did this Louis noticed his butler's eyes fixed firmly on Zayn, observing every move he made. Interesting.

"Harold, could you please bring my files." Louis' requested to which he immediately complied and quickly moved out of the room to bring about a file of observations to read out to the young Earl but when he did so, his eyes collided with Zayn's and suddenly the room felt, as though air had been sucked out of it for the time period and just then he continued to move. 

When Harry returned, he began to narrate the incident from the newspaper, recapturing the details.

"Yesterday, at Whitechapel, another prostitute was murdered. It wasn't just your a arête murder; it was bizarrely vicious murder which could be called 'supernatural'."

"The victim this time, Miss Mary Nicholes, was cut down by a special kind of blade that sliced her up completely, unhindered by any resistance." Harry continued the explanation,"Scotland Yard and the newspaper reporters are calling the killer Jack the Ripper." And with that Harry's rail of world halted.

"Jack the Ripper, huh?" Louis commented, "interesting name."

"It is creating quite a circus here in London," Liam admitted, "I've been here for hardly a day and mother already wants me to return."

"Which is why I am here," Louis informed taking his fingers through his hair. "Avenging the Queen's distress is where my priorities lay."

To this Liam smiled towards his friend in admiration,"Of course Louis."

* * *

When Liam and Madam Red decided to join Louis to the crime scene, he did not pose an objection.

As soon as they reached the place of murder there was a crowd surrounding the scene but Scotland Yard's policemen kept them away at a safe distance. 

Louis and Harry passed through the crowd and stopped in front of an officer with brown hair who was intently going through some investigation papers.

"Is something wrong, sir? This isn't a place where you should be. Please go back home." The officer said politely before returning back to the papers in hand.

"Where is the victim's corpse?"

"Corpse!? What on earth are you talking about?" The officer was taken back his forthcoming question.

"Aberline!" A strong voice came from behind them. Lord Wootan came out in to the light. "What are you here for Lord Tomlinson?"

"Is he an acquaintance of yours?" Aberline turned quizzically towards his superior.

"I came here to clean up the mess of being made by dawdling hounds, Sir Daniel Wootan." He informed him showing the Queen's letter to him with a smirk painted on his face. He took the papers from Aberline's hands and looked at them. "Clearly Scotland Yard isn't doing anything, yet again and it looks like there aren't any significant leads yet."

Wootan rudely snatched the papers and glared at the teenager before him,"Scotland Yard are taking care of this incident. Don't stick your nose in where it is not wanted."

"Fine by me. Lets go, Harold." He shrugged and walked away with Harry and the others tailing him.

"Where would we be heading now Lou?" Liam asked clearly confused,"Since you didn't even glance at the papers regarding the case." He added, as they continued to walk down the road.

Louis' apprehension came in the form of a vexed sigh, as they halted before a terribly morbid looking building, having a board which spelt UNDERTAKER with a number skulls adorning its background.

Perplexed, Louis' aunt turned towards him,"Why an undertaker?"

"There is an undertaking establishment who serve as acquaintances to the young master." Harry informed her as he opened the door to lead them inside.

On moving inside, the dark looking establishment was giving out stomach gurgling responses to everybody in the room. The atmosphere sweetly summoned goose flesh and quietly gave them chills, as they stood in the midst of coffins and nails.

"Mr Undertaker are you present?!" Louis called out.

"I knew you would arrive, sooner or later, young Earl." A voice replied from no particular visible source.

Suddenly the coffin box which remained closed in the far dimly lit corner had begun to shake and it cracked open, revealing a man with long whole hair in a billowing grey robe with a replicate skull hanging from his neck.

"Have you finally decided to design your own special coffin and get into it?"

Although Louis was unfazed by the undertaker's antique, Liam seemed absolutely mortified by the question. "No, how many breathing persons have you met who actually design their own coffins and get into it?" Louis retorted sarcastically and moved onto the real reason as to why they were disturbing him but before he even uttered so much as a word, the man intervened, "I know the reason, you are present here but you do know my price, my Lord."

"So being an undertaker is just a cover is it?" Madam Red intervened in between and questioned him,,"Name your price."

"I do not care for your precious Queen's exchange of currency." He said moving closer to Madam Red and lifted his hands up with the sleeves hanging below and pointed at her lips,"Give me that."

Louis and Liam's faces visibly paled at this absurd display when the undertaker quickly said,"Make me laugh the hardest and then all information ostensibly at your disposal!" He declared dramatically.

 

* * *

 

"What an absurd fool." Liam remarked immediately, as they waited outside while Harry did his job.

"Wouldn't want to judge too fast, Sir." Zayn replied with consideration.

"Where'd you find him Louis?" Madam Red inquired.

But before Louis could answer, a row of laughter resonated through the street and the wooden door opened. "Come in, Your Highness, he is ready to comply to our wishes."

When they re-entered into the depressing place, the undertaker was drooling while leaning on his chair,"I have seen Utopia." He affirmed.

Unimpressed by his antics, Louis' glared at him hoping he would give them any sort of information. "Well, since the past few days, I've been getting customers who have a little missing."

"A little missing?" Louis asked raising his eyebrows at the attained information.

"Something like a uterus," he elucidated with a nod,"and even though it was quite a splatter of blood, it was cut out very neatly."

"While it may not have been a largely populated street, to perform a task of that nature with absolute precision in the dark ?" Harry questioned.

"You're quite the sharp one, Mr. Butler. I thought the exact same thing." The undertaker grinned and placed the skull he was playing with aside and then casually stood behind Louis. "First, to cut the prey's neck, then to cut here." One long-nailed hand stroked Louis' neck while the other stoked where her womb is. "And steal what's important." He raised his hand from his womb to poke his cheek with his long black nail. Even though Louis was peeved by the actions of the man, his disposition remained unaffected.

"He'll definitely kill again." The man informed them retreating his hands when he caught Harry's glare piercing through him.

"He's the type that won't stop until someone stops him. Can you stop him, Noble of Darkness, Lord Tomlinson?"

"I swear on my family's crest, those who dirty Her Majesty's garden will be dispatched without exception,whatever it takes." Louis declared with seriousness etched to his voice.

* * *

"That narrows the list considerably." Harry observed stroking his fingers chin.

"How?" Madam Red inquired. "I'd say it just complicated it." She added, as Niall drove the carriage towards them.

"Firstly, it is an individual quite expert in medical dissections." Harry nodded in affirmation and then proceeded to connect the dots of the case through the information received, "Also, someone of that sort who has no alibi for that night, and, from the fact that they took the organs with them, someone involved with some manner of ritual, sect, or even black magic. "

"Just how does that narrow it down? Dissections are something that any doctor-even I- can do. Summer is almost at an end, too. All the nobles will return home with their personal doctors they brought with them." Madam Red reasoned.

"She does have point, Louis." Liam assented to the red haired woman.

"Well then, we should investigate until that time." Harry said, as though they didn't really have much of a choice.

"What?"

"It is only natural for a butler of the Tomlinson household to be able to accomplish such tasks," Harry shrugged and steered his attention to Louis, "I will draw a list of suspects immediately and go through everyone on it." He said and moved away from the carriage,"Well then, excuse me."

"Harry said he'd do it. We should just take food or something and wait." Louis' said ignoring their wonderstruck appearance and getting into the carriage.

As they continued their way to the townhouse, the carriage suddenly halted near a boutique which drew the Earl's attention.

"Louis, I would like you to stop by Madam Malkins, I have a few dresses to pick up." She informed the two. "It won't take long so you both can remain seated here."

Louis nodded and Liam insisted that she should take Zayn to accompany her with the luggage which she complied to.

No sooner did they leave than Liam turned to Louis',"I have a confession to make," he said honestly,"and I think you're the only person I can perhaps trust this with." He looked at him with the hesitancy in his eyes.

Louis nodded and looked expectantly at the man,"Are you going to talk?" He asked after a minute of silence.

"You need to swear on your name that you will not reveal this to any other soul."

"Stop with the antics Liam and come to the point."

"I think," Liam trained, "I like men."

This was what someone would call a revelation. Usually. But it isn't much of a revelation if one already knew the contents of the confession which is exactly what occurred.

"You mean you fancy men?"

"Yes. I do." Liam said looking afraid and overwhelmed with fear. "I am so scared. I cannot let anybody know of this otherwise my name and the name of my family will be besmirched."

Louis glanced his exposed blue eye at his friend and softened his gaze,"Liam," he said placing is hand on his shoulder,"you've mentioned this to me but never mention it to anybody else. No matter what the situation."

Liam breathed a sigh of relief,"I thought you'd scorn me for what I am."

"You're my friend Liam and no matter the circumstance, I am willing to put my life down for you." Louis told him with a touch of sincerity in his voice.

"Thank you Louis." Liam's puppy dog face lit up with a smile. The authenticity of his happiness was drawn clearly on his face.

"Now don't worry yourself with such things." Louis dismissed.

* * *

As soon as they arrived at the townhouse, Zayn politely opened the door of the house for the nobility but what was witnessed was a phenomena of a distinct nature, as the curly haired butler stood tall to welcome them.  
"Welcome back. I have been awaiting your arrival." Louis handed him his coat and strolled inside."The preparations for afternoon tea have been made."

"You... Why are you here?"

"I finished the business I was attending to, so I returned ahead of you." He smiled politely.

"You already drew up the list?" Madam Red's eyes widened in shock.

"No." He took out from his tailcoat three large scrolls tied up. "I made a list of potential suspects we were addressing earlier,then went and directly questioned them all."

"Harry, that's a little too far-fetched for anyone to-"

Harry opened one scroll and let it roll down to the floor. "Earl Bailey's doctor, Richard Oswald was with friends at the Whitehouse pub. He has an alibi, and no sect connections..." The list went on. He talked fast without looking at the list even for a second with a speed and accuracy of a demon to which Zayn just smirked in comprehension but hastily his it when he noticed Louis' eyes on him.

Louis grinned at his aunt's state of exasperation. 

After a few minutes he finished the list. "This concludes my research. I have narrowed those who fit the conditions down to a single person."

"Are you really just a simple butler? You're not from Military Intelligence or something , are you?" She questioned with suspicious yet overwhelmed eyes.

"No, I am just one hell of a butler." Came Harry's reply accompanied with a devious smirk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are always welcomed.


	3. Chapter Three

The cold wind of the night blew past the London streets which were left barren for the evening due to the terror of Jack- The Ripper. Although the moon shone in all its elegance, there were not many people who it could show its generosity to.

Amongst the dreadful silence, the hooves of horses clicked against the floor of the paved London streets. On the interior of one particular horse carriage was seated a man in the costume of a tutor with a woman in an elaborate pink tafetta dress with burgundy ruffles, adorned with a lovely hat accompanied with a net which curtained her face and eyepatch alongside her intricate brown curls.

"This thing is the most ridiculous thing I've worn in the entirety of my life." Louis exclaimed with a disapproving scowl.

"Weren't you the one who said that avenging the Queen's distress is your priority, My Lord?" Harry smirked with his voice dripping of sarcasm, reminding him of his claim,"Then wearing a dress should be a piece of cake."

"Sadistic bastard." Louis muttered under his breath, in recognition of the sarcasm.

According to the research done by Harry pointed out to the Viscount of Druitt, Aleister Chamber, he held a degree in medicine but did not practice it as of such and did not have any alibis on the nights the murders took place which was why they were heading to the last party, the Viscount was hosting at the end of season in disguise, since if anyone's ears heard that the Queen's guard dog was present, it would lead to the inevitable change of course of the murderer.

"Also the Viscount of Druitt is a womanizer and it makes things easier." His aunt had unhelpfully added.

As they were seated in the carriage awaiting the destination to arrive, Harry broke the silence which persisted in the air, "Your Highness, I possess a query and would ask you, if it may not sound impertinent."

Arching his eyebrows, Louis nodded at him boredly,"Go on."

"Mister Payne," Harry began cautiously.

"What about him?"

"Is he a very good acquaintance of yours?" Harry asked vaguely.

"Friend." Louis corrected.

"Friend?" Harry repeated since it was no ordinary occasion when one would qualify as a 'friend' in his master's eyes.

"He is a very faithful friend and an amicable companion." Louis' reply came with a cloak of indifference shred on his feminine appearance.

"Any specific reason to hold him with such high esteem, My Lord?"

Louis stared blankly at the window,'Yes,there is a reason," he thought to himself,'a big one but I can't let you know of all people, Harry, it'll sullen my estimate in your eyes.'

'Since I am going to die, I want to die as a soul you wish for in order to take back the dignity I've forsaken.' He thought wistfully and finally chose his words. "Nothing which concerns you, Harold."

"Yes, My Lord."

"Why do you-" but before he could complete his sentence the carriage came to a halt.

"We've arrived, My Lady," Harry said changing the subject in a thrifty manner.

* * *

The elaborately decorated party hall was screaming excessive. The Noveau Riche were adorned with their best summer clothes and were dancing around wasting the time they gained by staying a part of this pretence worth class.

When they entered, the dance floor had been spread before him and the Viscount was present across the room. They'd have to rudely cut the dance to reach him which would grab everybody's attention.

"Damn. What now?"

"There remains no choice, we need to dance our way across, " Harry said grabbing his hand, dragging him to the dance floor.

"Are you telling me to dance in a public place like this? And with you?" He questioned incredulously.

"At the moment,I am one hell of a personal tutor. It is only on a night such as this that one of my status is permitted to dance publically with the mistress."

"Tha-That's true." He muttered incoherently.

"Let us proceed, Your Highness." Harry said, leading him to the dance floor.

Waltz was the most graceful form of dance to have existed in the Modern English World. If partnered with a person who you genuinely cared for, the dance would transforms into something so majestic that beyond the person who you were dancing the entire world would fade into oblivion.

Avoiding the alluring gaze of the demon, but failed remarkably at it anyway. And his stare was begging to make his ears and cheeks grow red and warm.

'What the hell is wrong with me?' He thought to himself snapping out of his trance.

"Is something wrong, Young Master? Are you catching a fever?" He pressed his forehead against his. "Hmm... Surely your temperature is out of the ordinary."

Louis' breath was caught in his throat and he pulled away from him. "Let's stop, now!"

Harry lead them out of the dance floor, as Louis felt fatigued and tired. He tried to calm down his heart beat.

"This is most unseemly. To be overcome by that alone." Harry shook his head in dismissal and helped him calm his breathing,but his closeness just made things slightly worse.

A sudden applause came from behind them. They turned around and saw a smiling Viscount Druitt. A blonde, blue eyed man dressed in sheen white.

"It was a dance as cute as a robin, Young Lady."

"Young Mistress, I shall go fetch some drinks." Harry bowed respectfully, leaving Louis alone with the Viscount.

"G-Good evening, Viscount Druitt." He pulled out the sweetest fake smile, as he politely curtsied.

"Are you enjoying yourself,my little robin." He took his hand and kissed it.

"I am overwhelmed by this wonderful party,but I was always hoping for a chance to talk to you, Viscount." Louis said in faux pretence, "I am already bored with food and dancing.

"You are quite the selfish little princess, aren't you, my little robin?" He smirked while placing his hands on his waist and trailed his curve, "Should I introduced you to something much more fun?"

Put up with it! Just keep it together! Louis shuddered.

"Do you know more fun things to do, Viscount?" He questioned innocently while batting his thick eyelashes.

"Of course, and I shall teach you,my sweet little robin." He informed him while lifting his chin closer to his face.

'When all of this is over, I'll exterminate him immediately!' Louis thought clearly annoyed with lewd man's intentions.

"Fun things such as?"

"Do you want to know?"

"I am most intrigued."

"It might be a little early for you."

"I am already a fully-fledged lady! As you can obviously see."

"I understand, my little robin." He led her to a dark staircase,pushing the curtains in front of them to reveal a dark hallway. "Come inside."

Louis balled his fist, gaining courage and walked inside. The Viscount lead her though a long abandoned hallway.

"You know, little robin, you look rather familiar to me."

"Is that so? I have never meet you until now, Viscount."

"You are right. You're face is not one I would forget." He stopped to open a door for him. "Where we're going about to go is a very fun and splendid place." He whispered into his ear placing his hand in a lewd manner over Louis' lower back.

Entering the room, Louis felt a strange sickly sweet scent, as his eyes grew heavy thereby losing his balance.

Dammit! His vision and strength seemed to have abandoned him, as he slid down to the floor with the door as his support.

The last thing he saw before blacking out was the conniving smirk of the Viscount.

"Yes, it really is a splendid place."

* * *

Louis' fist balled against the wall while sweat beads glistened on his body. Every now and then he would groan in agony.

"H-Harold!"

"Just put up with it a little,you will get used to it soon." He responded behind him.

Louis just grunted in pain while his cheeks remained flushed with sweat trickling hospital body,

"Out..." another moan of pain. "I'm telling you they're coming out, aren't I?" he yelled.

"There hasn't been a single person whose organs have spilled out from wearing a corset." Harry said and tied the knots in his corset. 

 

Louis' eyes fluttered open and a sudden blackness overcame him.

A dream?

"And now, for the much-anticipated main event of the night." Louis heard the Viscount's voice echoing and consecutively heard a series of murmurs. "You may appreciate, enjoy and treasure her. That will make the ritual shine even more. It is up to the customer to whether sell her or cut her into pieces. Her eyes are a lovely shade of electric blue and deep amethyst.

An underground auction?

"I shall reveal them now."

So, this man sold of the organs of prostitutes here? Louis thought, as someone untied the blindfold over his eyes.

" We will start at 1000 Guinea."

"2000!"

"3000!"

"3500!"

"5000!"

Louis opened both his eyes to see swarms of people around him, placing an estimate on his value, candles illuminating the entire room, giving out the glow of malice,"Harold,I am here." He said.

The lit candles were suddenly swept off, as though a wind foretold the misery it was going to bring.

Louis could hear people panicking, being beaten up and possibly killed, but was not fazed. After a while, the candles lit up again. Harry stood in the middle of the room.

"My, my. You really have no talent for anything but getting captured, do you?"

"As long as we have a contract proof, whenever I call you,no matter where you are, you will find me." Louis said touching his mismatched purple eye which had a brilliant pentacle flaming in it.

"The contract proof is a mark demons put on their prey so that they will be able to find them wherever they are. The closer the contract is to the eye, the stronger the enforcement. In exchange,"

"It becomes impossible to escape from that demon." Louis completed while Harry bent the metal of the cage so that he could get him out of the cage. "Yes. I will follow you, no matter where you go, until the end." He removed his bounds with a flick of his wrist. "Even if this body is destroyed, I will not leave your side. I shall follow you into the depths of hell." He said while carrying him out of the cage and placed him on his feet. "I do not lie,unlike humans."

"That is fine. You alone are never to lie to me."

"Yes, My Lord."

"With this,the case of Jack the Ripper is solved." He turned to an unconscious Viscount and added arrogantly, "Pretty anticlimactic."

Harold grinned. "Scotland Yard will be arriving soon. Let us not tarry too long." He took Louis into his arms and carried him in bridal style. "Well then, let us go."

* * *

"This isn't the time to be playing chess." Louis grumbled, as he pushed the rook by two blocks.

Madam Red had been determined to make Louis play with her to take of the stress which harbored his shoulders. Eventually, after much persistence and Liam's consistent nagging, Louis had been forced to agree.

"Nothing good comes from over exerting yourself. Why not leave it to Harry?" She spoke to him in reference with the Jack The Ripper case.

"He's nothing more than one of my pawns. It is I who gives the order and moves him." He said looking onto her flamed golden eyes,"However he is not a normal pawn. He is a pawn that can get across the whole board with one move." He informed and took his knight and pushed away the King from his place, "Like this."

"Isn't that against the rules?" Liam asked noticing the chess board from the corner of his eye.

"Yes, if it was a game we were talking about." Louis alternated,"However, rules hold no meaning in the real world. There will unevenly l, be knights who break the rules, and pawns who disobey orders. If you let your guard down for even an instant, you'll be in checkmate."

"There should be many ways for you to live that don't involve the underworld's guard dog. My sister, your mother, would have wanted that for you as well. Even so the reason you have returned to this underworld is that you want revenge for the deaths of your parents, isn't it?" Madam Red asked him with concern dripping from her voice.

"Even if you extract revenge, it will not bring back those who died, nor will it bring happiness to them. But, I did not return to the ways of the Tomlinsons because of the previous generation. " He said as he stroked his blue sapphire,"I did it for myself, in order to bestow the same pain and humiliation I felt upon those who betrayed us and sullied the Tomlinson name."

Sighing, she looked at him with softened gaze,"I still remember the day you were born." Madam Red smiled warmly, recalling a memory. "You were so small and fragile, and you brought out my protective instincts." She stood up and went over to where Louis was sitting across from her. Gently placing her hand on top of his head,"I was unable to have children. But I really do think of you and my own son. If possible I'd like you to take your leave of," It didn't have to be said, she wanted him to leave the dark side and stay under the protection of the light.

Louis pushed Madam Red's hand away quite contumelious manner,"The reason I'm doing this right now is down to my own wishes and choices. I do not regret it, nor do I wish to be indulged out of pity." He said with his gaze turning stone cold. "Not by anyone."

Madam Red could not hide the look of hurt on her face. She deduced to finish the game quickly and leave.

As she did this, Liam stood across him,"You didn't have to do that Lou, she loves you, you know."

"You and I, both know," Louis began,"that regardless of my wealth and status, love is a commodity I cannot afford."

"I know." Liam said with a disheartened smile. "but that doesn't validate your hurting other people."

"I can handle it, Lou," Liam said with understanding,"not everyone else, especially women," he continued,"and you have a fiancee who you are very soon to be married to."

Rolling his eyes, Louis just turned away from him.

"You might roll your eyes but I know you have paid attention." Liam concluded and placed his hand on his shoulder,"I will be going out and may return late."

* * *

Louis laid on his bed with his mind disturbed and eyes boring into the ceiling, thinking of the unsolved case when a few knocks gently descended on the door.

"Come in."

Harry entered the room with papers in his hands."No matter how many times I re-examine it, the answer is the same." He walked over to his bed and handed him the papers,"The Viscount wasn't involved in yesterday's cases."

"That is correct. It would have been impossible for him or anyone of his household. "

"That's right, people in ere are... Any way tomorrow we shall." He stopped talking midway and looked at Harry shell shocked, "Impossible!"

"I've told you many times, have I not? I will not lie to you. Of those with proficiency in medical arts, connections to black magic or cults, and who lack an alibi at the time of incidents, Viscount Druitt is the only one who fits the profile."

"Does that mean that the investigation was just a farce, then?" He glared at him in annoyance.

"I am one hell of a butler, so I am faithful to that which my master has ordered or asked of me."

"Whatever that wish or order is," Harry said gently picking him up from his bed,"Under one of your orders, I am to be your pawn and your sword. So, please, Young Master move me into check." He smirked and slowly began to undress him to put on a new change of clothes


	4. Chapter Four

The wall was stoned, with hard rocks and polished into perfection, Louis felt this against the fabric of his clothes which were unlike his usual expensive silk, today he had been dressed in the dire need of the situation like a commoner.

"He'll come if we hang out here, won't he?"

"Yes."

"It's true that among the prostitutes that were killed, there were other similarities apart from their organs having been removed." He crossed his arms over his chest, contemplating the timeline of the order.

"Beautiful, shimmering black hair." Harry muttered.

"But why did he need to kill them?" Louis wondered out loud.

"That allure which can even be called sinful." Harry's voice resonated with admiration.

"And also, I-"

"That wonderful softness," Harry regarded in an unmistakable trance, "Ah, that wonderful softness."

Finally, Louis snapped his head at him in vexation to see him petting a cat,"Listen, when someone is talking to you!"

"I apologize. I was just simply taken with its rare beauty... Soft."

Louis sighed in frustration and turned to him with his lips held into a scowl,"What is it with you and cats anyway? Ever since I have met you, you've been obsessed with them."

Harry released the cat to go its way. "Forgive me, Young Master but you yourself reminded me of a cute lost kitten when I first met you." He smirked.

Louis' cheeks heated up and his heart beat grew abnormally fast," Don't compare me to animals." he pushed his hand away turning to the ground.

Their conversation was rudely intervened by an abrupt scream which gathered their immediate attention, as they ran towards the source.

Forcefully throwing open the door, Louis plunged into the crime scene with his eyes widening in horror, as he stared at the prostitutes ripped open body covered in blood.

Staring at the pool of blood, Louis felt his guts churning at the sight. He felt all those nightmares were coming alive when he felt a hand on his waist, turning him and gently pushing his head into the man's shoulder and pacing out of the crime scene.

As his breathing regulated to a more normal pace, he felt Harry's hands rubbing his back,"It's just a little blood, Your Highness." He reminded. "Nothing you can't handle." He affirmed.

Louis nodded and pulled back slowly and it was normalcy again, the same indifference returned on his face.

"You've splattered it around in a rather lavish way, have you not, Jack the Ripper? No, Niall Horan."

Niall stepped out of the house, completely covered in blood. "N-No, this isn't it. I rushed here after I heard the scream and it was already too late," He nervously explained.

"Do you really think you can feign innocence when you look like that, Niall? This is the first time I have meet someone you in the human world. You show the facade of a helpless butler to everyone. You really fooled everyone quite splendidly."

"Splendidly." He gave out a sharky grin, exposing long pointed teeth. "Really?" He untied his hair "I am an actor." He removed his large glasses. "Quite an exceptional one at that."

"But you aren't just a normal either, are you really Harry?" He smirked at him.

"It was the name I was given by the Young Master so I am Harry. For now."

"My, that's quite the subservient personality you have." He placed on red needle point glasses and smirked at him,"I shall introduce myself anew. I am the Barnett family butler Niall Horan. As a fellow butler, please treat me kindly." He introduced himself. "My, I finally get to meet you without a disguise. I was quite surprised to begin with, as it was the first time I had seen a demon act as a butler."

"Surely that is my line. For someone like you to be acting as a butler.You are supposed to be a neutral being in the balance between gods and humans; a Reaper. Why would you , briefly like unto God, become a butler?" Harry question the death reaper before him.

"Indeed, shall we say for now that I fell in love with a woman?"

"And that woman is?"

"It wasn't really a need to ask was it, you did know?" A voice said from within the house and the footsteps grew closer, as Madam Red stepped out of the house.

"Madam."

"This was beyond my expectations. To think there would be someone able to see Niall's true nature."

Louis wiped the drop of blood from his cheek with the back of his hand. "You were the preliminary suspect on the list. However, your alibi was perfect."

"You even suspect me, one of your relatives?"

"If the individual was capable of becoming 'Jack', blood relations had no bearing." Louis revealed, as rain gently began to pour down. "It was impossible for any human on that list to be involved in all the incidents. However, if the accomplice were inhuman, then that would change everything. If they were able to get into a room within a split second without noticing, and move from the Viscount's home to the East End in an instant, then 'Jack the Ripper' could be none other than Madam Red and Niall Horan. Among the victims of Jack the Ripper there were other connecting factors. They all underwent specific surgery at the Central London hospital where you work." He added to the number of evidences present.

"Among the list of patients we complied,the only one who had not been killed was the one living in that room, Mary Kelly." He continued to reveal systematically. "We knew that, if we loitered around here you'd be sure to show up."

"This is so unfortunate,Louis. If you hadn't noticed, we would have been able to play chess again." She pouted. "However, this time, I will not give anything up!" She stated with assurance fuming in her eyes.

Before he could even react, the 'Reaper' grabbed a saw like machine and quickly turned to Louis to slash it into him when Harry changed its course upon himself.

"What is that?"

"Reapers have tools they use to prey on people's souls. It is the Reaper's scythe." Sebastain explained.

"Don't give it a lame name like 'scythe'!" Niall whined. "It took such trouble to customize it! It is able to shred any substance that stands in it's way. Only I am permitted this death-scythe. I was playing for so long that my skills have gotten rusty. It's been a while."

"You know, I love the color , clothes, even lipstick. Red is my favorite color." Niall said stroking his blade." That's why I gave those ugly whores a makeover with their beautiful red blood."

As he kept advancing towards them, Harry remained like a staunch barrier before his master.

"Harry, I'll make you into an even more appealing man. I will carve you down to your inner depths, scattering that beautiful rose-color everywhere." He licked his lips in anticipation.

"Reapers are those who peacefully hunt down souls heading for death." He turned his back to Niall and removed his coat and placed it over Louis' shoulders so that he wouldn't get cold. "Butlers are those who obey their masters like loyal shadows."

"Your poor taste, which violates both does ideals, quite sickens me." He turned back to Niall with an expression of disgust on his face.

"On the name of Her Majesty, and my sullied name, I order you," Louis said removing his patch from his right eye, exposing his contract symbol with Harry, "Dispose of them!"

Harry's bright green orbs turned into an unearthly color of vermilion."Yes, My Lord!"

Niall attacked with his strange blade, with every try to harm his butler, the Reaper kept failing due to Harry's effortlessly, "Ah! Splendid! Flee more! It has been a while since I've been challenged to a fight with a demon!" Niall appreciated as he snuck behind Harry, efficiently tearing a little of his tail coat.

"See? If you don't run fast, you'll be shredded." The blade began to tear at his butler's suit. "Hurting you little by little will be most effective, won't it?" He grinned.

"You and I have become the guard dog and prey. If you're going to hunt me down," Madam Red told her while Louis sported a vacant expression, Madam Red took out a dagger knife from her sleeve,"there is only one way!" She ran towards Louis and with her blade gave a slash across his sleeve thereby making him bleed due to his slow reflex which grasped Harry's attention.

"Why would you, a doctor?"

"Even if I explained, a brat like you would never understand!" She grabbed Louis by the neck and slammed his body against the wall. The impact made him lose her breath. Madam Red's fingers tightened their clasp around his neck, as he struggled to breathe,"A brat like you should never had been born!" Madam Red rose her blade to pierce Louis' heart.

Louis looked helplessly at his aunt, "Young Master!" Harry's voice intervened and a sudden shadow of darkness, evil and blood was behind Madam Red and was about to touch her with it's claws, his butler had taken his most true form.

"Stop, Harold. Don't kill her!"

Madam Red dropped the knife and stepped away from Louis. Harold breathed deeply and covered his wounded shoulder to stop the bleeding and tend to his Master's wound.

"Harold," his brow furrowed in worry unconsciously. Walking over to him, he draped the wound with the coat which he had given the Earl for protection against the rain.

"Young Master why-"

"Even at the cost of your own arm, you went to save that woman. Look at yourself in comparison, Madam." He pouted disappointed at Madam Red. "Hurry up and get rid of that brat!"

Madam Red sobbed and stared at Louis. "I can't. I just can't. I can't kill this child."

"What are you saying after cutting all those women? If you don't get rid of that bitch, you'll be the one who is disposed of." Niall threatened.

"Madam."

"But this child is," She turned to Niall and before she completed her sentence, Niall pierced her chest and shredded it making a pool of blood.

"I am disappointed , Madam Red! I have no interest in you if you're just like all the other women!"

Madam Red's body fell as cinematic records flowed out from her chest. Records which could be seen only by the supernatural. The entire life of a person, down to the tiniest detail moving before Niall and Harry to see like a movie.

A lonely tear fell down her dead eye.

"I loved you covered in the blood of others, Madam Red!" He removed his coat and walked over to her dead body. "To think you were such a ridiculous woman! I'm disappointed. You have no right to wear red." He took Madam Red's red coat and put it on. "The cheap show is now over. Goodbye, Madam." He took his blade and began to walk away.

Louis closed Madam Red's eyes and placed his own coat over her body and turned to Harold, "What are you doing? I told you to hunt down Jack the Ripper. It's not over yet. Don't stand around. Get rid of the other one."

"Understood." He smirked.

Niall chuckled. "I was going to let you live,but if it is your wish. I'll send you there, too." He took his blade and swung it at the butler, "Both of you will go to Heaven together!"

This time Harry chuckled genuinely, "Heaven?" He jumped. "That place has no hold on me."

"Do you really think a demon can win against someone who is like unto God?"

"I wonder." He turned his gaze to Louis, who was watching the fight disinterested, as though he knew it was inevitable of Harry to win, "However, if the Young Master has told me to win, then I shall win."

"You're putting a lot of effort for that man, aren't you? Could it be that you harbor feelings for him?" Niall insinuated,"I know its been a long and boring time since Alexander," he smirked knowingly to which Harry's eyebrow creased in annoyance," Even if you are a demon, if you get 'hunted' by a death-scythe, you'll be eliminated, you know? Aren't you scared?"

"At this moment, my body and soul, to the last hair, belong to my master. As long as the contract bears validity, obeying his orders is the only thing which governs my exisitence."

Regardless of the odd character Niall sported, his skills with his death scythe were undeniably remarkable. The demon and the Reaper clashed in the sky like lightening. Odd pair but intriguing sight.

Neither did Harry nor did Niall willingly give up, in fact they continued to strike intermittently until Niall plunged his scythe enough to wound him and extract his cinematic record.

"Harry!" Louis voice called out to him frantically disturbing the stars on their voyage.

"Now, allow me to see your drastic and dramatic record!" Niall announced in a theatrical manner and the records continued to show the domestic regularity of his life with Louis since the past five years.

"H-Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Just what the hell is this!?" Niall questioned clearly not what he expected.

While Niall groaned, Harry gained back his balance,"This past six years have been filled with nothing but that, after all." He chuckled.

"I have no interest in such domestic flashbacks!" He whined. "Show me the good bits!"

"I'm sorry, but the rest is pay-per-view." Harry grinned."He placed a finger on his lips as if referring to a secret.

"Stingy!" Niall flipped away from him.

"Ah, my clothes are all ruined again. This is completely incessant now." He said as he removed his vest.

"To be worried about your clothes in a situation like this, you must be laidback? But I like well-groomed men. Since men are your and my preferences."

"It was not my wish to employ this sort of tactic, but I have no choice."

"You're finally going to be serious with me, then?"

Niall and Harry ran towards each other. Before Niall could make a move, effectively Harry removed his coat and stuck it into the roaring machine, thereby stopping it.

Harry landed gracefully on the rooftop while Niall fell down, looking at his blade.

"That jacket is made from the finest Yorkshire wool. You will find that there is a lot of friction in wool production." While Harry said this, Niall tried to rip of the tailcoat, but it wouldn't budge.

"Once it is woven, it is quite hard to tear apart."

"No way!" He tried harder,but failed.

"It was one of the items I brought from the mansion,so I did not want to have to use it. However, you have already ruined it." Harry stood before Niall like a shadow and grinned. "Well then, I have a bit of a confidence in plain fist fight." He cracked his knuckles.

"W-Wait a minute." Niall cowered. "Please not the face!"

Harry continued to land blow after blow on the poor reaper's body.

"Not the face!"

As Harry continued to hit the man before him, injuring the Reaper commendably but almost hitting Louis in the exchange. Almost.

"I apologize. I misjudged the distance." He bowed respectfully.

"You're in quite a state." Louis commented casually.

"Remember this!" Niall mumbled from the floor.

"My, that's a Reaper for you. I suppose you would not die from blows alone." Harry interjected his litany of whining, taking his blade and walked over to Niall."Well then, how about this?"

Niall tried to stand up but he fell back down to the floor. "A Reaper's scythe can cut through anything, isn't it?" He asked removing his tailcoat from the blade. "Which means it should be able to cut through you, right?" The Demon questioned with malicious smirk.

"What the actual fuck. This isn't funny, you sadistic bastard! Stop!" He tried to crawl away, but Harry stepped on his face and pinned him against the floor.  
"It is quite unpleasant to be stepped upon. Doing the stepping, however, feels quite good." He stomped his foot harder against his face. "Young Master, even though this hideous reprobate is a Reaper, a god of death, are you prepared of accepting the consequences of killing him?"

"Are you trying to make me give the same order twice?"

"Understood."

"Ah, it hurts! It hurts!"

Harry ignited the strange blade to life. "My, you do have quite an attractive voice while you scream. Let me reward you." Harry rose the blade up high above his head and prepared to swing it down. "I will let you depart via this beloved toy of yours!"

"Stop!"

"Don't want to!" He grinned.

"Don't you want to know who killed your parents?" Niall looked pleadingly at Louis.

Louis' eyes widened in surprise.

Harry swung the blade down,but before it could cause any harm to Niall, a long rod like contraption intervened the course of the scythe's descent. Snapping their necks towards the source, they noticed a well-groomed man in a suit with a scowl on his face.

"Forgive me for interrupting you mid-conversation." The person spoke with a monotone voice. He drew back his long metal object. "I am one of the supervisors of the Reapers Dispatch Organization, Shawn Peter Raul Mendes." He introduced himself. "I came here to take that Reaper back."

"Thank God for you Shawn!" Niall shouted.

Shawn jumped from the rooftop and landed on Niall's head. Slamming his face on the floor. "Dispatcher Niall Horan, you have committed several regulation violations. First, the elimination of those not on the Candidate List. Next, the use of a non-sanctioned death-scythe. And finally, the disclosure of information permitting to the lives and circumstances of death of the aforementioned departed." He dug his heel into Niall's head. He stepped off Niall and bowed before Harry,"I apologize for any inconvenience caused by this." he took out a card from his coat and handed it to him. "This is my business card."

"Honestly, having to bow my head to vermin like you really does smear mud across the clan of Reapers." Shawn scowled harder.

"Then, in order for you to not cause the 'vermin' inconvenience, please keep a close watch." Harry glared and threw his card away. "Humans are vulnerable to temptation. When they are forced to stand on the hellish pinnacle of despair,they will unfailingly take any route out of what appears before them, no matter what kind of web it tangles them in,no matter what kind of person they become."

"The one who take advantage of that and taunt humans are demons."

"I am not denying that." He smirked.

"I suppose that those dogs kept with leashes as pets are better than the dogs that roam around with no principals." Shawn scorned with his eyes on Louis in reference to Harry as the dog.

"Well, we shall return, Niall Horan." He dragged Niall away,"My goodness, at a time like this when we're already short-handed, once again, I won't get to leave today." Shawn complained. "Of course the director will scold us any away. If I keep having to do overtime like this-"

Picking up Niall's blade, Harry threw it towards Shawn who caught it effortlessly.

"You forgot that."

"Thank you." Shawn said crudely,"Well then, excuse us." And with that he walked away with Niall into the darkness of the night.

Harry turned to Louis and walked over to him. "I apologize,half of Jack the Ripper escaped."

Louis' glared at the ground with a vacancy in his eyes,"It's fine. It's over." He responded nonchalantly.

"Let us return to the townhouse. I shall prepare some hot milk." He addressed.

"Yeah." Louis stood up, he lost his balance but was caught by Harry,"Young Master!"

Louis gained back his balance and slapped Harry's hand away with a glare. "Young Mas-"

"It's fine! I can stand on my own. It's just that I am slightly fatigued?"

Harry wasn't unaware, he was a demon, he knew his master from the air he inhaled to his breathing pattern, he was aware of every single happening with his master which was why he could with ease smell the void in his heart and the sadness which overwhelmed him due to the death of his aunt.

He had even denied any form of dessert which was very rare due to his favoritism towards sweets.

"Good Night, Your Highness," Harry said leaving Louis alone in the room lit by the moon.

"Harry." Louis called.

"Yes, Master?"

"Stay with me," he requested,"until I fall asleep."

Retracing his steps,"Are you growing weak, Your Highness?" He smirked while he approached the bed but before he could reach, Louis grabbed the unlit candleabrum and threw it towards Harry which he smoothly dodged and before, in his fit of rage, could give a command, Harry swiftly placed the lit candleabrum on his bedside table and placed his gloved hand over Louis' mouth preventing him from giving out an order which he would have to fulfill by the contract.

Staring into Louis' teared eyes, he snapped his fingers which not only shut the windows but also drew the curtains, letting only darkness take over the room and dimmed the light emitting from the candles.

Removing his clothed hand covering his mouth,"Forgive me, My Lord, I should have been more sensitive." Harry replied caressing his cheek tenderly which could almost be mistaken for affection with their noses rubbing against one another very gently.

Although it was completely dark, Harry could sense his eyes still staring in a stoic manner with beads of tears in his mismatched eyes.

Snapping his fingers again, the remnant light disappeared, immersing the two into absolute darkness.

Finally the tears began their advent down his cheeks.

That was the beauty of their bond, Harry knew the shame the Young Earl felt. He knew his maniac nature to control his emotions, to reduce the feelings which he felt to absolute nothingness. Harry remembered after returning from that hellish state of misery when he had been captured as a hostage, Louis tried his best to keep his emotions in check. As he grew older, he almost had nothing but arrogance across his face and if he did have to vent out the deepest emotions which troubled him, he'd do it privately when nobody would catch him. He had mastered the art of suppressing his emotions flawlessly and today it seemed as though he was taken back if not hurt by the woman's death. Humans. Such an aberrant race. That would have applied to every constituent of the selfish race but not to his master which is what captured his ministrations. He was grace, determination and cunning meshed together which was why he had a trouble with not only conveying his feelings but to also let them show on his face in the form of tears, as weakness which was why he let the tears fall on his cheeks only when the lights were turned off. That was the pride and arrogance he held regardless of the situation that he was breaking down.

Louis sat there with Harry's nose brushing against his and tears streaming down his face. He held Harry's wrists with a fiercely tightened grip, as their foreheads touched one another.

"She didn't have to do it." He mumbled. "She was the only family I had."

"Someone I could perhaps trust or lean on." He muttered in disdain. "And she? Is there nothing except for betrayal in store for me? Pathetic humans."

"You will not betray me, will you?"

"I shall not, Young Master."

"You will not lie to me?"

"With darkness as a witness, under the command of Lucifer himself, I formed a covenant with you, Master," Harry told him, holding the same position, as they did before,"Under that I shall not lie to you or betray you," if it is your command I will follow you everywhere,even if your throne crumbles and your shiny crown turns into rust, even if bodies pile up endlessly on top of bottomless corpses, beside you I will be there, as you lay down softly unless I hear the words checkmate." He told Louis in all seriousness. "I am yours until the covenant is complete."

In response to this, Louis closed the little gap they had between their lips and brushed it against Harry's. It was just a simple lip to lip contact with skin touching skin. They didn't even let their tongues caress one another, they simply just stroked one another's lip. Gentle. Careful. Yet so devouring and in the entirety of his life since he had been banished from the world of God, in the wholeness of his immortality, never had Harry felt this infatuated with a caress of lips.


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the lazy updates. I should be reprimanded.

After Louis had fallen asleep on his shoulder, he had carefully tucked him into bed and just blankly stared at the sleeping figure. It was admissible that this contract with this human was the most interesting.

As soon as he stepped out of the room,"You're too invested in that human for your own good." A voice commented.

"Speak for yourself 'Zayn'," He shrugged and walked forward. "The puppy has made you one too."

"His name is Liam."

"And my Master goes by the name Louis for future references," he retorted, "not human."

Letting out a chuckle,"He really does have you wrapped around his fingers, doesn't he?" Zayn stated rather than questioned. Sighing, he shook his head, "Lucifer will have the time of his life, if he sees the two of us draped into such sort of roleplay."

"Let's hope he doesn't then." Harry responded, as he entered the kitchen with Zayn while he prepared tea at the dead of the night.

"How did you get roped into a contract with him of all people?" Harry turned to Zayn in wonder. "He looks like he couldn't hurt a fly if he wanted to."

"Because I didn't." Zayn informed with a grin.

Harry turned to him with intrigue, as moonlight cascaded through the windows, "What do you mean?"

"I'm not contracted to him."

Harry's green eyes sparkled in the dark,"His father. I recall." He said in remembrance. "And his father lets you in the boy's presence." He grinned, clearly appalled by Liam's father's naivete.

"Yeah!" Zayn let out a laugh. "And Liam is quiet taken by me."

"I can see that." Harry said indifferently. "He is quite smitten by you." Looking back at Zayn, "Does Liam know though?"

"Not really, I don't think he does."

This time Harry laughed out loud and shook his head, a"Humans, Zee! They are so vulnerable."

"Definitely." Zayn smiled maliciously.

Between the conversation which Harry and Zayn shared, suddenly Harry moved with almost inhuman speed and disappeared into thiness which perplexed Zayn but before he could respond, Harry was back.

"What happened?"

"Thanks to your diversion, I lost track of time."

"To do what?"

"Nothing you should be worry about." 

"Careful. I am not a Prince to be disrespected by you." Zayn said as his hazel eyes turned into a glowing red.

That was when a sudden dark aura seeped into the room with Harry's eyes glowing into an equivalent crimson vermilion. "You and I both are aware of who is where on hierarchy, 'Zayn'."

_"Harry."_

It was was Louis. He had muttered his name.

Ignoring Zayn's presence, he focused his concentration on his Young Master. The tea cup clinked against the saucer, as his master drank the tea placed by his bedside table.

"I didn't order him to stay until the end of the night." Louis shook his head.

Harry disappeared once again only to appear before his master, "You called, Your Highness."

"Nothing." Louis muttered masking his anxiety,"I just woke up."

"I'm going back to sleep."

"Anything you require?"

"Nothing." He breathed.

"Of course, Your Highness." Harry bowed and placed the blanket back on him.

Louis uncharteristically held his gloved hand and guided him to sit beside his pillow. "Stay. Please, stay."

"As long as you want me to."

Harry sat patiently beside Louis, as he attempted to sleep. Twisting between the crisp sheets, he tried to calm himself yet again and slowly banishing the ritualistic nightmares which had increased in magnitude today.

"Do you need another cup of tea, Master?"

He shook his head to dismiss the idea.

But Harry genuinely had no idea how to calm the poor boy down who was sweating and turning ridiculously in his sheets when an idea struck his head.

"Could you excuse me for a moment, Your Highness?" He questioned. "It won't take a lot of time."

"Be back soon." He added nonchalantly.

And before Louis could turn to the other side, Harry had returned with a glass of juice. Obediently standing beside the bed, he handed over the glass to him, "I'd request you to drink it master, you will feel better."

Rendering the glass back to Harry, he comfortably settled back on his pillow falling soundly asleep.

When Harry returned to the kitchen, Zayn rose a skeptical eyebrow at him. "What do you think you're doing H?"

"Being of service to my master."

"I know what service means Harry and that is clearly not service." Zayn spat. "You prepared a healing potion for the brat. Healing potions tax demons, what were you thinking?!"

"I am under a contract."

"You could have left the boy to writh in pain for all you care about unless he asked for your presence!"

"Stop shouting Zayn!"

"Draw yourself out of this stupidity you're entangling yourself into before it's too late."

"And what am I entangling myself into?"

"You know it yourself, H. Don't question me to elucidate it." Zayn spat and swiftly turned and disappeared.

* * * 

The next day morning's funeral was morbid. It had been strangely raining too. As people paid their final respects to Madam Red, Louis had walked in with an unseemingly brought a red dress and put it over her in the coffin muttering that nothing really looked good on her except for 'her red'.

When he returned to the townhouse, Louis noticed all his luggage had been neatly packed up to take their return to the manor.

"Louis." Liam said restricting his way.

"Liam, I must take your leave, we are returning back to the manor," he told his friend, as he continued to keep his books back in the shelf.

"No, Lou," he said shaking his head with seriousness in his eyes, as though he knew of something,"I saw it yesterday."

Louis' eyebrow rose, as he continued to arrange his bookshelf, he briefed him with no reaction, "Well, What did you see?"

"Your exchange with Madam Red."

If Louis was shocked, he concealed it expertly, not a twitch here nor a crease there. "How much did you see?"

"Everything. Nearly Everything."

Louis posture did not alter a bit, it remained stoic and unchanged while he proceeded to keep his books, "And?"

"You've done something awful haven't you?"

Louis turned on his heel and leaned towards the table and glared at Liam with his blue eye,"If I have?"

"Is it irrevocable? Is it something you cannot alter?" Liam's whisky brown questioned with worry in their eyes.

'It is something which can change only with my death, Liam.' Louis thought but was quick to discard his thoughts away. "If so?"

"Is it something you choose willingly?"

Louis looked up at his friend who he would probably lose in a matter of seconds,"Yes. Something I have chosen willingly."

Liam looked up at his friend whose inquistorial expression remained unaffected while his own eyes turned glassy. He slowly strolled towards him and pulled him into an embrace, even though Louis didn't return the gesture, he never reciprocated.

"I am not going to counsel you, Louis, since you've made your decision," he informed him with sincerity, "but I will remain your friend and no matter what you do Louis William Tomlinson, how many times you forsake the light side, I will still consider you my friend, regardless of the circumstances."

This widened Louis' eyes, it was rare for humans to deliver such unwavering loyalty which was why he appreciated his demon rather.

"You will always be my friend, albeit the road you've chosen to travel."

To this Louis arms draped themselves around Liam for the first time in five years.

* * *

When they were traveling back to the manor, Louis eyes remained on the window idly watching the scenery passing. "Harold?"

"Yes, Master?"

"You did hear what Liam conversed with me, I hope?"

"I did."

"Then could you please tell me why exactly were you not aware that Liam was watching us?" He asked casually, the intonation was indeed calm but Harry knew how much of weightage the words asked.

"I didn't know, Young Master."

Louis' eyes gazed at him in an incomprehensible manner, confounded by his reply," What do you mean?"

"I did not know he was present." Harry repeated.

"How?"

"His presence was veiled, Your Highness, by another presence." Harry replied.

"Zayn?" He guessed turning back to the window.

"Yes."

"He is of your kind?" Louis questioned, maintaining a stiff upper lip.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Sighing, he leaned his head back to touch the soft velvet seat. "And the contract is with his father?"

"Yes."

"Do you know the contents of the contract?"

"No, Master."

"Is Liam going to be harmed by it in any manner?" Louis questioned casually.

"I do not know, Your Highness."

Shaking his head, as the carriage drew to halt, Louis slipped out of the carriage,"It's an order, Harold, protect Liam if that demon does anything which would harm him."

"Yes, My Lord." Harold said as he knelt with a hand on his shoulder.


	6. Chapter Six

The dark green painted walls of the study had intricate golden designs on it. The craftsmenship of the whole room itself was the most delicate form of strokes ever descended by the hand of a painter. A solid ebony bookshelf laden with leather bound books sat in the farther right hand corner with a comfortable armchair before it, having a brown table beside it. Centrally located was a solid wooden desk which was surprisingly clean of any paperwork that day with an exception of one brown carton box which lay on it, Louis was seated behind this desk looking at the three servants he had summoned who were looking absolutely terrified.

"I have a job for the three of you." He revealed resting his hands on the table.

The nervousness suddenly disappeared from their faces, as they breath out a sigh of relief, "I thought you were going to fire us," Bard said with a grin.

"We're glad you're not!" Finny added.

Ignoring the sighs, Louis removed a covered object from the packaging which was shown to be a camera.

"This camera is one of a kind, I went over great measures to procure this," he began as he placed the brown box like contraption before them, "the picture taken by this camera shows the person or object most important to you."

"Wow!" The three servants said in awe.

"We can test it out right now." Louis said and asked Finny to stand before him while placing the cloth over him. "Stand still, it takes ten seconds for exposure." He ordered and removed the lid of the lens to which Finny stood there holding his breath.

Ten seconds later, Louis closed the lid and looked at Finny in dismissal, "I told you not to move, I never said to stop breathing." He said shaking his head.

After developing the photograph in one of the rooms in the manor, he handed the picture to Finny who exclaimed, "My birdie!"

"I really liked that bird!" Finny said in remeniscience,"I used to pet her regularly one day," he said with dejection overcoming him, "she died."

"Another special feature about this particular camera is that, it shows only the things which aren't of this realm." He worded carefully.

The servants shook their heads in admission.

"I want the three of you to capture Harold's picture." He informed in all seriousness.

"Harry's?" The three said in unison.

"Yes," he affirmed, "I hope you won't disappoint me."

The three in a comical manner saluted to Louis and repeated, "Yes, My Lord!"

The three servants slowly went into the library to follow Louis' orders religiously and hid behind the bookshelves to capture Harry's picture as he cleaned the library but failed miserably.

"He is too fast!" Mey-rin exclaimed, as Harry cleaned the room with abnormally fast speed.

"I swear!" Bard agreed as he tried to get a shot.

And suddenly he had disappeared from the library.

The three hurriedly moved to the other room and that was when Bard and Finny thought of a plan and asked Mey-rin to take the shot while they executed it.

Mey-rin stood in her place when the two brought in a billiard table to push through the room he was cleaning to trap him or squash him to death, the latter wasn't possible so most probably the former.

But as they pushed the table with all seriousness towards Harry, he gracefully just took one step back resulting in the table to crash into the wall and Finny to crash into him.

Turning to Mey-rin they noticed, she had taken a few shots and was sure they had been compromised.

The next time they tried, Bard had ended up outside the study's window which was located on the second floor through a ladder when Louis rang to his alarm which called Harry in.

"My bow tie has come off." he said gesturing to the tie to which Harry immediately came over, tying it neatly.

Hoping the servants had captured at least a single shot, he turned to look at Bard after Harry left, he saw him on the ground hurt because he had lost balance.

* * *

When the pictures were presented to the Earl, he just rubbed his temples in annoyance. Harry couldn't stay in a single place for more than a moment.

Before he could decide for another alternative, the said butler strolled in alongside Liam and Zayn. In the midst of this pursuit of a picture, it had slipped Louis' mind that Liam had informed him of his arrival a week in prior.

"Liam." He addressed, "I must apologize, I had indeed forgotten about your stay."

Liam's smile was automated,at least for Louis, he was a little gentle and more softer with him even though Louis was older to him. He doted upon him and tried his best to assure Louis didn't have to walk the extra mile. At least in his presence. "That's not a problem, Lou." He said holding the Earl's shoulders with his sturdy arms. "If you do have additional work, I will leave."

"No, it isn't anything of that sort," Louis shook his head,"I just forgot."

"Tea will be served momentarily." Harry announced as he exited the room abruptly.

If annoyance could manifest itself into a human form, it was Liam Payne. How a mere weakling of that sort could press on his nerves was indescribable. He had been aware of Liam's tragic exisitence only earlier this year, since they had been in France for the past few years and had been informed of Louis' disappearance a year prior which was the reason their family despite being of high aristocracy, returned to England, for the adamant nature of their son.

The boy did not hold any malice towards his Louis but that did not warrant him to behave, as though sun shone from his arse. To make an attempt to be the nicest human being on the planet by trying his level best to attempt fickle tasks so the Louis would not undergo inconvenience but if he really did have to undergo any trouble then it would've been a shame on his name as a Tomlinson butler which was why Harry existed, to ease Louis' worries but this boy since the past two months needed to try, at this Harry laughed, attempt relentlessly, his thoughts corrected themselves to try and gain Louis' favor which he couldn't, hopefully, even though Louis considered him a 'friend' and was affectionate towards him was pressing enough.

Meanwhile Louis had engaged Liam in an interesting conversation about politics when suddenly an idea struck into his head after Harry had served them tea.

"Liam,"Louis addressed immediately, looking at him, when Zayn came in after keeping Liam's luggage inside one of the guest rooms, "I require a favor from Zayn, do you mind lending him to me?"

"Sure." He replied almost instantly which caused Louis to remove the camera from his desk.

"The camera was from the Talbot Collection, the last camera made by William Henry Fox Talbot. This particular camera was unusual in that it not only photographed the subject, but whoever was most important to said subject, would appear in the photograph once it was developed. "Louis educated which really intrigued Liam. 

"Interesting."

"I want Zayn to capture an image of Harold with this," he told him and looked at Zayn, "it takes ten seconds for exposure so you need to still him for ten seconds.'

"Of course, Sir." Zayn agreed, as though it wasn't a big task and took the camera.

"Why not just ask Harry?" Liam questioned simply. Louis shook his head. "Can't." It was the question of his pride, he couldn't.

"Immediately, sir?"

"If you could, yes please."

And in less than a few minutes, Mey-rin came in with the news that Zayn had captured a picture and Louis headed with Liam to the room where the photo was being processed when a loud shout was heard.

"Mr Bard can you please calm down and remove your apron." Zayn's voice tried.

When Louis entered the room Bard had thrown his burning apron over to the table which had in turn caught fire. 

"What happened?" Louis asked with his eyebrows creased.

"Mr Bard accidentally dropped his cigarette and the photograph burning his apron too." Zayn replied politely.

He turned to Zayn in apprehension, it wasn't just a fire, in fact there is no fire a demon couldn't stop, this observation added with a glint of acknowledgment.

Why did he even trust this fool? Harold had obviously manipulated him into not letting the photo develop even if he caught him for ten seconds.

Rubbing his temples in frustration, Louis sighed again. Seated in his study,he really didn't want to apply this last technique but he really did not have a choice, did he.

* * *

After supper, Louis was standing in an open space in the garden with Liam looking skeptically at him. The servants were positively frightened at the absurd idea of their master while Zayn, probably the only person who looked amused by the happenings. "Louis this is a terrible idea! Why don't you just ask him!?" Liam said from afar.

"Don't intervene Liam," Louis ordered.

"Are you sure about this, Earl?" Zayn asked him with lips turning into a smirk.

"Yes, I am." Louis answered and added underneath his breath, "Since everyone else is useless, I have to do this myself."

"Do it." He commanded Zayn.

Zayn picked up the solid angelic statue which adorned the garden with other similar statues with a massive jerk, he threw it on Louis who remained stationary in his position and as Liam noticed the statue grew closer to his person and the brown haired boy discarded the camera and ran on impulse towards his friend.

But before anything terrible could happen to Louis, in a flash of lightning Harry intervened and the Earl remained unscathed underneath Harry who was just smiling in acknowledgement. "My, my, Young Master, you really did outdo yourself this time didn't you?" 

Louis just stayed fixed in his position in between the sturdy arms of his butler who had skillfully averted the course of the heavy marble artefact. 

Looking away when the Earl was satisfied that ten seconds had passed, he tried to pull himself up when Harry helped him up to recede back to the manor for dinner.

* * *

Louis sat on his bed waiting for his customary tea. He was hardly pleased with the outcome of the day which had passed. The hues of the preceded events were scarcely satisfying, he had indeed walked scores to get the camera and all his associates were unable to capture a picture of his butler. The degree of incapability. The bastard demon, Zayn was too on Harry's side and eventually when he risked his own life to get the god forsaken shot, Liam ran towards him afraid for his friend's life, leaving the camera unattended thereby unreservedly rendering the attempt futile but as luck would have called it, Harry was able to procure a photo of himself while he fell asleep in the study for an extremely brief time period. And the damned butler had developed it to see the one thing, Louis' eyes held most precious.

Louis' train of thought collapsed when Harry entered the room with a tiny trolley and stood beside him, surprisingly serving a slice of chocolate cake before him which made him raise an eyebrow in qualm. 

"I must say, Young Master," he said with the corner of his lip raising steadily to form a smirk, "I'm quite honoured."

"Shut up!" Louis snapped and took a bite of cake, ignoring both his eyes which hovered in scrutiny and the bright pink blush dusted on his cheeks.

When the photo had developed, the only person who had appeared in the photo alongside Louis was his butler. Only the god damn butler and him. And to adorn the lovely cake, both Liam and Zayn were present when it developed.

"I am." Harry insisted with a wink, as he retrieved the plate in return for the tea. 

"We shall not talk about it." Louis ignored him placing his entire attention on the tea, before Harry decided it was okay to take a deep dive and look right into his face, letting his hand wander behind his head to untie the eyepatch, revealing his deep violet coloured eye which held the mark of their contract. 

"You do know if you would've ordered me to stand still, I would have." He acknowledged to which Louis' expression remained stoic but his cheeks blushed a brilliant pink. 

"If I ask you right now would you?" 

"I would."

"Then fetch the camera please."

And Harry did as he was told, after bringing the contraption, as promised, he stayed still for ten seconds.

Strolling out of his room with indifference masking every bit of anxiety which was streaming through his blood. Ensuring poise, he unlocked and walked into the room where he developed the photograph.

Louis hand was hesitantly on top of the picture and turned to Harry who was also curiously looking at him awaiting the result of the intriguing contraption.

"I don't wanna know." Louis withdrew his hand and turned away from the photograph which rose Harry's eyebrows in incomprehension.

"Master?"

"I'm going to bed!" He declared abruptly. "And even if you see the picture, I wouldn't want to know what are its contents." With that, he stormed off from the room.

Unable to grasp his master's change of ideology, he stepped forward to see the developed photograph which was abandoned by his Master. 

After developing, the photograph had his master right beside him which was honestly expected because nobody was as precious as he his master to him then why did the Earl storm off in such a disorderly manner?

Thinking about it, he stared intently at the photo wondering the Young man's thought process when suddenly a dark presence sauntered into the room in all his grandeur.

"The brat's insecure," he supplied knowingly, like he observed the entire exchange.

"If you're really so smart, pray tell me why?" Harry snapped.

"Because he doesn't want anybody else to be in that photograph alongside you except for himself."

"Don't be ridiculous."

Zayn walked out of the shadows with cinnamon coloured eyes glowing which rivalled Harry's green. "Think about it H, his pride and vanity wouldn't permit him to accept the fact that if you are the most precious in his life then why not vice versa." Zayn reasoned continually. "If you do have anybody who appears here who isn't him, it would undoubtedly shatter his ego which is why he rejected it as of a whole."

"And why would anybody else's presence or absence even matter?!" Harry demanded.

To this Zayn's smirk grew, "That you should ask your 'Master'."

Harry looked at him skeptically and suddenly he heard a crash on the floor to which Harry swiftly disappeared into thin air.

"Your Highness, may I know what exactly are you doing?" He asked turning on the candelabra to see Louis on the floor with a glass jar of water which was shattered a few steps away.

Louis picked himself up slowly and deliberately, "I wanted water."

"You could've called for me." Harry said placing him on the kitchen platform and quickly checking for any injuries and then noticed his hand was pierced with a shard of glass allowing a ridiculous amount of blood to flow.

"Drink it, that's what you're here for anyway."

This statement creased Harry's eyebrows in indignation. That statement stung. That was an extremely crass implication for the amount of consideration the demon had towards his human.

Ignoring his master's behaviour, he stealthily he removed his glove and kept his hand on top of the wound, "Tell me Young Master, why did you not want to know the contents after so much of effort behind those ten seconds."

Louis pouted and turned his face away from his butler's, "I lost my interest in it."

"Then I would have to comment that your interests are very fleeting, My Lord, which would mean I would be right to assume that very soon," he said looking at him,"you would tire of your interest towards your parents revenge, the source of our contract and would try to escape from it."

"Why you!" Louis cursed with his mismatched eyes widening at the connotation. "A photograph and my revenge are two different things!" 

"Are they?" He questioned and removed a photograph and handed it over to him. 

"I said I didn't want to," he began with rage overcoming him before he took note of the picture and turned his gaze towards his butler, "You haven't tampered with it?"

"Unfortunately, No."

And Harry noticed the flicker of his eyes, as they drew out of uncertainty and settled upon satisfaction. "Interesting."

"Are you not going to reduce that photograph to the conclusion that the reason you are present in it to the fact that I would be skipped of a human soul if anything would happen to you and therefore it makes you the most precious?" The demon questioned Louis, to which his eyes widened and his gaze lowered due to the magnitude of hurt the statement pierced into him. 

"Is that the reason?" He questioned quietly, the dejection was unmistakably wrapped in indifference which was known to Harry alone.

In response to his question, the butler slowly took his hand away from its position on top of his Master's wounded hand. 

Louis' hand was perfectly sealed with his smooth skin draped in such a manner that it looked like it had never been touched nevermind cut.

"I thought demons could only destroy." Louis said in observation.

"That's true." Harry conceded and took a step forward which got Louis' legs to spread wider, as he stood in between them. "Although some of us are bestowed by that power, we seldom use it."

"Why?"

"Because it is more easy to inflict pain than to heal."

"I thought it consumed more of your powers." Louis reasoned.

"It does."

"Then why use it on me?" He asked quietly. 

Harry's hands gently placed itself on his cheek,"For the same reason you did not want to see this photograph."

Louis' eyes met Harry's gaze with astonishment while his thumb affectionately rubbing against his cheek. "Don't ever casually imply that I am here only for your soul, there are things deeper than that, which humans are unaware of." He said and slowly began to retrace his steps when Louis' hand caught Harry's arm and yanked him back to his previous position. Latching his lips to Harry's neck, he kissed the glistening skin while his fingers drew circles on the coat.

"Mine." Harry whispered and let Louis' forehead rest against his own while he slithered his hand and pulled Louis' chin up, gently lowering his lips, as he wrapped his legs around the demon's waist but before his lips could even graze his master's, he quickly got up in an abnormal speed and picked Louis up. Placing him on his bed, he withdrew into the shadows of the room to see a perplexed Louis making sense of the occurrence until Liam arrived and Louis pretended like he was drinking water from the jar which was surprisingly broken and laying on the kitchen floor. 

"I really expected you to stay asleep, Louis." Liam muttered, "but thank god you're awake."

"Did something bother you Liam?" Louis asked turning towards his friend. 

"Yea, that room was incessantly too warm." He said and then noticed Louis was missing his eyepatch. 

Liam's eyebrows furrowed and his expression softened at the seal of the contract, he ignored and questioned, "Do you mind if I share your bed tonight?"

"No problem. Come in." Louis consented and as the night turned a more velvet blue, he continued to look at the all enveloping darkness through which suddenly green orbs shone. To this, he was satisfied. Louis was safe. And Louis was his.

**Author's Note:**

> Review!!!!!!! Comment!!!!


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